This has been true 110 years ago, when Matador was invented, as it is today.Our children are surrounded by electronic gadgets - which can be used to great effect.

However, it is important for our children to stay in contact with the real world. Matador puts wooden material into their hands. Children can build, look at their construction from all angles, see if it works, correct and try to improve. Finally, there is the joy and satisfaction of having created something real from a blue print or from their imagination.

Building models from a variety of blocks and wheels teaches your child on how to plan and how to picture the outcome in three dimensions. Complex models require patience, concentration and persistence. More often than not the final result is not what had been planned at the start. The young engineer needs to correct, dismantle some parts, or start all over again. Larger models will take days to build and this is a great way to learn discipline and even on how to overcome frustration. The outcome will always bring a great sense of satisfaction and pride.

Matador has played an important role as an educational tool in schools and even universities. After the Second World War Matador sets could be imported into South Africa despite the ban on the import of toys.This was possible because Matador was classified as teaching aid!

This illustration of a pulley, on the left, was found in an old Matador magazine.

There are hundreds of interesting ideasin these publications. Most models were sent in by students as a response to competitions on new ideas.

On the right we have a double pulley which can be built with the smallest Classic set.

Fixed, moveable and compound pulleys are part of most of the Matador crane models.

The concepts of force, speed and work will become clear when combining wheels of different sizes.

Here is another idea from a Matador magazine.

I decided to build it with cogwheels; rubberbands would have made it less precise.